The Letter
by Kristen Verne
Summary: It has been ten years since Riku's little sister died, and he just recently came to grips with it. However, when he goes to her grave, he can never quite say what he wants her to know. So, one day, he writes her a letter...


**After roleplaying with Nintendoman01, I got the inspiration do this little fic about a character I killed off.**

 **I hate to write a feely chapter this early in the morning, but I didn't want to lose my inspiration.**

 **Kingdom hearts © to Disney and Square Enix!**

 **Kikyo, Artemis, and Asher © to me!**

* * *

Riku walked through the line of trees to where a small stone slab stuck out from the ground. He bit his lip as he read the words "Kikyo Ren Tsuchi… beloved daughter and sister". Even though it had been many years, his sister's death still stung.

Riku hadn't come to grips with her death until a few months ago, just after Xehanort's defeat. Now, he came by her grave almost daily. Today he knelt in front of it, staring at the small framed photo, lying in front of the headstone. That photo was taken a few weeks before she died, on her fifth birthday, the same day Riku had given her the hairclip she never took off.

The irony of her death hurt to this day; killed by the things she loved most, well besides him. Though it wasn't her love of Great White sharks that killed her, that very creature was her killer.

Every day, when Riku came to her grave, he brought something more. He always brought flowers but he would bring other things; the photo was his doing. Today, he brought something more.

Whenever he would try to talk to her grave, he could never get more than a sentence or two out. The same thing happened whenever he would talk about his sister. There was so much he wanted to say, but he just couldn't. So, he decided to write her a letter, a letter to leave here, by her grave. He managed to get it laminated so that the weather wouldn't destroy it.

Unable to stay long without breaking down, Riku set the letter down before placing some crystals on the corners to keep it still. He allowed one tear to fall from his eye before walking away. "I-I can never say much, but maybe this letter will do the talking for me…"

* * *

 _My dear sister, Kikyo,_

 _Ever since Mom and Dad told me that I was going to be a big brother, I felt a certain responsibility for you. From the first moment when I laid eyes on you, I wanted to protect you from anything and everything. I wanted to be your hero._

 _You could not imagine how happy I was when I became that hero for you. You clung to me, as if to never let go. I remember, the first day I went to school, I came home and Mom handed you to me; she said that you'd been crying all day, since I left. But, when I came home, you stopped, and wanted me to hold you. It took you a month to realize that I would come home, so you didn't cry all day._

 _On the stormy nights, when thunder used to scare you, I would come into your room and take you out of your crib. You and I would spend the night on my bed as I held you and kept you from being scared._

 _I held you when the neighbor's dog chased you, and when you were stung by a bunch of wasps. Every time you cried, I would come running._

 _You didn't go to school for long, but I can remember your first day. You got in so much trouble because you left your class to find me. Even after that, you found where my class was, and you would come by all the time, just to see me._

 _That day, when you died, I never felt so helpless and alone. I wished that I had died with you, or that it had been me instead. You did not deserve the end you got; you did not deserve to leave this world early. I lost the joy I used to have with you, becoming closed off from others._

 _It's been ten years and I just recently found that joy again. After all I've done, I would think that you'd be sad. I've done so much that you would've hated and I know my actions would have broken your gentle heart. However, I know that you would've still forgiven me and gone back to being the clingy little girl that could always make me smile._

 _It's hard for me to say these things out loud, because your death still hurts, but I hope that you know how much I love you. One day, I'll see you again; one day, I'll be by your side again…_

 _Your dearest big brother,_

 _Riku_


End file.
